Couples turns back the clock again

AUGUSTA — He’s getting closer, and it won’t be too long until Fred Couples starts shooting his age around Augusta National.

The 1992 Masters champion rolled back father time again Thursday with an opening-round 1-under par 71. The 63-year-old is now might be in position to be the oldest player to make the cut if he plays well tomorrow. Currently, two-time champion Bernhard Langer, who shot 3-over 75 in his first round, holds the distinction as the most senior player to play the weekend at 63 years, 80 days. If Langer doesn’t rally on Friday, Couples would best that mark by more than six months.

After shooting 2-over, 38 on the front nine, Couples rallied with

birdies at Nos. 12, 13, 15 and 17 to get to 2-under before a bogey on the final hole left him with a second nine of 3-under, 33.

The back nine was really, really good golf, and I putted really, really well on the back nine,” Couples said. “It was like every 8-footer I had or 10-footer, I made. I made one from off the green on 17, and I three-putted 18 for bogey. But hit a good drive and a 7-iron in there. Hard to walk away with a bogey.”

ONE LAST ROUND

A couple of seniors who didn’t

play as well as Couples were 1987 and 1988 Masters champions Larry Mize and Sandy Lyle.

Mize, a former Georgia Tech standout, shot an opening-round 79, which included playing the back nine in 5-over, 41.

“There’s a reason this is my last Masters,” Mize said. “Ten and 11 is a tough stretch for me. I hit a poor putt — first putt was poor at 12 to make bogey there, which was disappointing. Then not a very good third shot into 13 because obviously I’ve got to take advantage of holes like that.

“Then 14 was okay. On 15 I thought I hit the wedge perfect. Just one of those times I was just a yard or two off and sucked it back into the water.”

Lyle also shot a back-nine 41 as part of a 9-over, 81. His big number came at the par-3 12th when he hit his tee shot into the azaleas on the hill behind the green. He ended up making a double-bogey 5.

Both players have said this will be their final Masters.

DAWG REPORT: Chris Kirk and Sepp Straka both shot 2-under 70 to claim lead Bulldog after the first round.

There are eight former University of Georgia players in the field. Harris English shot 1-under 71, Kevin Kisner was at even par after a 72. Russell Henley shot 73, Keith Mitchell 75, two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson and Brain Harman carded 77s.